The air was cool the next morning, so much so that Sal could see his breath puff out in white vapor as he walked the half awake Philadelphian streets.
He'd come out early that day, mostly because he wanted to avoid Lester. He couldn't tell Lester what was happening, at least not yet, not until he himself was sure of what was going.
Besides that he dreaded lying to Lester, they were best friends yes, but there are some things that could separate even the strongest of bonds.
And to be separated from Lester was to lose a part of himself forever.
Sal sighed and frowned as he passed a couple of werelizards looking at him like he was a delicious swarm of flies.
He hated what he could see now more than ever, it had only been a day but the Other World was already making him go crazy and it was much worse at night, when the denizens of darkness came out to play.
Imagine his surprise when a twelve year old werewolf nearly bit his leg off at the Purple Rose Hotel.
He pushed thoughts of yesterday out of his mind as he walked to Casmir's home.
He got to the abandoned factory, a large, eerie building located in downtown Philadelphia, and leapt over the mossy fence. He knocked on the large iron doors as he got to them, the sound reverberating throughout the neighborhood.
Casmir opened the doors with a loud scratching sound and emerged beaming at Sal, his silver eyes almost shining in the dim light.
"Hey", Casmir greeted, "I'm glad you came this early, a little later and I'd be a pile of ashes after opening this door"
"No problem", answered Sal.
"Come on" Casmir said, he held the door open and Sal walked in.
Sal couldn't believe what he saw next.
The factory was very bright, illuminated by medieval torches hanging at high corners and on the sides of the walls, burning with bright orange flames.
There was a large space at the centre where all the manufacturing equipment was supposed to be but was replaced by a makeshift gym. Duffel bags and dumbbells lay in a corner and fighting dummies stood in another. A large boxing ring occupied the main space in the middle.
Farther inward and away from the gym was a bed large enough for two people, a shelf lined with books and novels, and a wall of paintings, every single piece of artwork an original, depicting scenes of blood and blur and battle.
Not far from that was what looked like a smaller version of an art studio, with an easel, canvas and a large cupboard with the word "SUPPLIES" painted on it, each letter a different colour.
Sal turned to Casmir who had somehow gotten a glass of blood in his hands and was looking at Sal with his usual amusement.
"What do you think?" asked Casmir.
Sal scoffed in astonishment.
"One hell of a place you got," said Sal.
"It's nothing much" Casmir said with a flourish of the glass in his hands. "I do have something for you though"
He zoomed past Sal with a speed that startled and excited him.
Sal ran to keep up, following Casmir through a door and emerging into another astonishing place.
"Damn" Sal exclaimed.
All around them and hanging on the walls were weapons, all of them in the shape of different kinds of blades; daggers, swords, scimitars, kindjals, even kitchen knives and machetes. The blades gleamed in the room's dimness, like precious dangerous treasures.
"I've got a thing for sharp objects," Casmir said.
Sal laughed lightly and walked around, admiring the blades and swords, until he reached what looked like a closet. He slid the door open and saw that it was indeed a closet, and it was filled with very strange clothes, all pitch black, all made of leather, all oozing some weird sort of power.
"It's almost like you're Batman or something," Sal said.
"Or something", Casmir said, "those are special protective clothing called armour"
"Armor? But they're made of leather," said Sal.
Casmir chuckled and walked to the closet.
"Do not judge a piece of clothing by its fabric Salome" he said as he searched the closet.
Sal smiled, he was starting to like Casmir more and more.
"Call me Sal" replied Sal.
Casmir turned and looked at Sal, once again there was something in the way he did, so cleverly hidden, that Sal couldn't really identify what it was.
"Okay", Casmir said, his voice suddenly husky.
He cleared his throat as he faced the closet, his hands moving armour after armour aside.
"Anyway the armour isn't made of leather, it's a material that just looks like leather, it's very resilient and very expensive, and also very necessary when fighting Shaded beings"
"Cool, where'd you get it," Sal said.
"Some of these are loot, others are rewards from when I was a hunter, I hardly bought any of these with my money" Casmir replied.
"So what did you spend money on?" Sal asked.
Casmir chuckled as he grabbed an armour and took a look at it.
"Why?, you want to give me lecture on budgets and all that shit?" He asked.
"Just curious" Sal said, his eyes caught on one of the armour, "pick that one"
Casmir reached for it immediately and pulled it out.
"Good eye" he said, and handed it to Sal. Somehow he still had the glass of blood in his hand and took a long drink from it. "Anyway I mostly spent money on weapons, blood, charms...."
"Paints?"
Casmir smiled, Sal knew if he had blood in his veins, he would've been blushing.
"That was just a hobby, hunting can get to you sometimes," said Casmir.
"Tell me more," said Sal.
Walls of vulnerability went up around Casmir's mind, Sal guessed that part of Casmir's life might have been one of great darkness.
"No time for stories" said Cas, hiding the tension in his voice with a fake smile. "I brought you in here so you can choose an armour, and a weapon of course"
Sal simply nodded and put on a fake smile of his own.
"So, what were you thinking?" Casmir asked.
Sal looked around him, there were no guns, he was used to guns, but as he scanned the different blades on the wall a deep sense of fascination came over him. He moved from one blade to the other until his eyes stopped on a sword.
It hung separate from the others, it's blade was made of silver and it's handle was golden with a blue gem in it. Sal walked forward, the sword seemed to be calling him forth, its blade begging to be used again.
"Wow" exclaimed Sal. "It's beautiful"
"You like that one?" asked Casmir, his voice was strained now, like he was forcing the words out of his mouth.
Sal turned to see Casmir's face but it was free of any negative expression, he looked amused as usual.
"Yeah" answered Sal.
"It's name is Kyrona, forged by Vulcan himself, a sword dedicated to the greatest vampire hunter in history"
Sal gasped.
"You mean Van Helsing is real?!"
"No, not him" Casmir laughed.
"Oh," said Sal slightly disappointed. "but you weren't a vampire hunter were you?"
Casmir looked away, as though he was carefully trying to find the right answer.
"No I wasn't, the sword's not mine", he said finally, his voice tightened with tension again, "it's my sister's"
Sal looked away from the sword.
"Oh", he took a step back, "then it's probably best if I don't take it, it's clear it's really important to you"
"No, no, no, it's been hanging there for nearly fifty years I'd love for you to have it"
"Are you sure?"
Casmir didn't look sure but he nodded anyway, gesturing for Sal to take the sword.
Sal walked to the sword and lifted it.
The sword settled so easily in his grip it made Sal take in a sharp breath. It's hold was firm, it's handle smooth and the blade reflected the firelight of the torches overhead.
"This feels right" Sal said.
Casmir smiled and downed the rest of the blood in his glass with a rush that was so unlike his usual sluggish manner.
"The scabbard's over there, put on your armour and meet me outside, let's see if we can find the rest of these guys," Casmir said.
Sal nodded and watched as Casmir left the room. Then he picked up the scabbard and slid the sword in with a sharp slicing sound.
A few minutes later Sal was dressed in black armour. It was light, comfortable, loose for easy movement and heavy with protective wards. Sal grabbed Kyrona and strapped it to his back.
He looked in the mirror and was surprised by how dangerous he looked, how different he felt. And then with a shake of his head he looked away from the mirror and walked out of the room, making his way outside through the large metal doors.
As soon as he emerged, he spotted Casmir out in the sun wearing the same armour, except this one was more like a long trenchcoat over a hood. He had multiple daggers in a belt about his waist and a small red ring on his finger that Sal hadn't seen before, the ring gleamed in the sunlight as Casmir raised his hand and took a blow from the cigarette.
He wasn't looking at Sal yet, it was clear he was in his own head, his mind lost in the memories of a time past.
"I thought vampires burn up in sunlight" Sal said.
Casmir smiled and flaunted the ring.
"Why do you think I'm wearing this", he said as he turned to face Sal, "It's enchanted to..."
He stopped talking as soon as he laid his eyes on Sal, he somehow looked even paler than he usually was, and he had that look in his eyes again, the silver irises thinning to nothing but slim circlets around his pupil.
"Casmir, are you okay?" asked Sal as he walked closer.
"Yeah" answered Casmir, "uhm, you look great"
"Thanks" answered Sal.
There was silence for a while but Casmir immediately broke it, he tossed his cigarette to the floor and stepped on it, watching as it hissed to silence.
"So who else are we looking for" he asked.
Sal nodded and took out the scroll from the jacket pocket he'd shoved it in.
He unfolded it as Casmir appeared at his side in an instant.
Sal didn't have to look harder this time, one of the names stood out distinctly among all the rest.
"Katarina" Sal said. "That's weird the last name, it's....blurry"
Casmir snatched the scroll from Sal's hand, he looked distraught, terrified even.
"Dude what the fuck" cursed Sal.
Casmir didn't reply, he kept staring at the scroll in shock.
"It can't be," said Casmir. "There has to be some kind of mistake somewhere"
"Casmir calm down, do you know her is she your ex or something?" Sal asked, he didn't like the look on Casmir's face.
Casmir looked at him, his eyes wide, as if the idea in itself was repulsive.
"Hell no" Casmir said.
"Then who the hell is she?" asked Sal.
Casmir looked away from Sal and his eyes focused on the scroll once again.
"She's my sister"
***
Sal made a mental note to take endurance lessons from Casmir, the way the vampire stormed down the sidewalk towards his sister's house was alarming.
As soon as he'd uttered those words Casmir had been extra eager to get on with the hunt. Sal didn't know what sort of twisted game the Elder's Court was playing, and he didn't understand what Katarina had done to have made Casmir this angry and upset.
"Casmir please calm down," said Sal.
Casmir stopped and turned.
"Never tell anyone to calm down when they are angry, that's the last thing they want to do," said Casmir, his silver eyes had now gone red and Sal could make out the sharp points of fangs sticking out of Casmir's mouth.
"Okay, I'm sorry" Sal said in his calmest voice. "But at least walk by my side, you're the one leading me remember"
Casmir sighed, his shoulders relaxing and his red eyes returning to their original silver.
He paused for Sal to catch up, and so once they were side by side they continued walking, Sal making continuous efforts to keep the pace slow and steady.
"So" Sal said after a moment of silence, "do you wanna talk about it?"
Casmir shook his head and gave a passing elf a deadly glance when she winked at him.
"Okay, that's cool," said Sal. "I think you traumatized that elf by the way"
Casmir chuckled, smiling instead of smirking.
"I'm sorry" he said, "it's just, the things that happened between my sister and I are very complicated"
His long finger played with his ring as they walked, they were nearing the darker parts of the city, the population waning as they went deeper.
"It's a very long, very painful story that I don't want to remember", he turned to face Sal, "but I am willing to talk about anything else if you want"
Sal smiled.
"Okay, just a little curious" he said. "What's the difference between vampires and zombies?"
Casmir raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?, you have the opportunity to ask me anything you want and that's what you choose," said Casmir.
Sal nodded with a smile and Casmir chuckled lightly.
"Alright, well, first of all never say the word "zombies" out loud again, if you are to describe them they are known as undeads in the Other World"
"That's ridiculous, it's like calling a vampire "bloodsucker", I think it's derogatory"
"It's not derogatory, it's practical, they are literally undead," Casmir said as the population on the sidewalk significantly reduced.
"You're undead, why don't they call you that?"
"Because there's a difference, undeads are dead bodies raised to be used as puppets by whoever raised them, they're temporary, vampires, on the other hand, are forever. We're more like cursed spirits, when we're Turned our bodies just stop growing, but our minds and spirits evolve, and since we're cursed we are weak to sunlight and things of holiness and purity, plus there's the whole needing blood thing which I honestly don't think is much of a curse at all"
"Oh," said Sal, "I didn't know that"
"Yeah well I wouldn't blame you, from what you've told me it seems like you've been blinded your whole life, and I mean that in the nicest way possible," Casmir said.
"Sure," Sal replied, unsure of what to say to that.
"What about your parents, are any of them like you?" asked Casmir.
Sal didn't answer, the mention of his parents brought back dark, distant and indistinct memories. Images of black fire and a screaming man flashed across his eyes, but he pushed it far back to that empty space in the depths of his mind.
"I get it", said Casmir, "My family sucks too"
Sal agreed with a light scoff and a frown.
"Well look on the bright side, we're here"
Sal looked up and saw that they were in front of a large chained gate with a giant "Keep Out" sign on it and circles of barbed wire curled at the top. Beyond the gate everything looked barren and abandoned, the restaurants, the convenience stores, the houses.
"What's with you people and dilapidated buildings," said Sal.
Casmir chuckled lightly.
"Looks like that blindness isn't completely cured yet, come on, look harder"
Sal sighed and focused his vision, urging the Shade to get out of the way and let the truth shine through, and like peeling off a price tag the truth of what he was looking at revealed itself.
Instead of abandoned buildings, Sal saw houses with all kinds of fancy-looking Shaded beings, the convenience stores were bustling with creatures of all kinds, the restaurant doors shone with "Open" signs, the LED lights barely visible under the late morning sun.
The gates were black and beautiful, the barbed wire completely disappeared, and the "Keep Out" sign turned into a sign that said "WELCOME TO LUNA ESTATE"
They were in front of an actual neighbourhood.
"Wow," said Sal.
Casmir smiled a cheeky smile, and with a tilt of his head he beckoned Sal to follow.
"C'mon, there's a meeting that's been long overdue"
***
Casmir thought he could feel his heart racing, but then he remembered he didn't have a heart, he couldn't help the anxiety that threatened to drown him as each step took him closer to seeing her.
Katarina.
It had been fifty years since he'd seen his twin sister, he couldn't believe he'd counted the days that went by without her by his side.
He remembered the days when he would hate her for the things she'd done and then the days he'd hurt with so much of his heart that there would be none left for hate.
"This place is sick, how come you don't live here" said Sal, cutting his train of thought short.
Casmir looked at the silver-haired boy and smirked, he looked incredible in the armour he'd picked, and handsome, though Casmir would never say that out loud.
"I couldn't afford it", said Casmir, "this place is for all the big shot Shaded beings of the Other World, I mean don't get me wrong I'm famous but I'm not that famous"
"And you're sister is?, or is she just dating one of these big shot Shaded beings," asked Sal.
Casmir burst into laughter.
"Katarina?, dating?, that's hilarious, I doubt there's a man on earth that can make her blush much less date her," said Casmir. "Besides, she'd skin them alive before they even thought of coming near her"
I would too, thought Casmir.
"So your sister's kind of like you right?, famous hunter, impeccable charm, dope ass clothes" said Sal.
"Yeah, I guess so", Casmir said with a light laugh,"I wasn't kidding when I said she's the greatest vampire hunter that ever lived, she's amazing, even the Shemer couldn't believe it," said Casmir.
"I don't know who those are but she seems cool, may I ask why you hate her" said Sal.
Casmir felt anger prickle his spine in a heartbeat.
"No, you may not," said Casmir.
There were no more words uttered until Casmir took a left and they were met with a large building, it was the only building that wasn't fenced and it was velvet red, as if it was painted with blood.
Casmir loved blood.
"This it?" asked Sal.
Casmir sighed.
"Yeah," he answered.
He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and turned to Sal who was looking at him with those clear blue eyes.
"If you're here because of me we can go back, we'll find the other people first and if you're ready by then, we'll get her last," said Sal.
Casmir smiled at Sal and turned to face the door.
"Thanks" he said, he took a deep breath "but I'm ready right now,"
He walked up to the door, braced himself and knocked.
He stepped back and waited, and in less than a minute the door swung open and he saw her.
"Look Tessa I told you I'm not interested in.....Cas?!"
There was a full minute where they just stared at each other, so many emotions burning between them, so many tears shed, so many years wasted, and then, as if by magic, Casmir felt fifty years worth of anger melt away in a second.
"Hey Kat"
***
As soon as Casmir's sister opened the door and Sal saw her there was no doubt in the world that the girl standing in front of them and the guy by his side were siblings.
Everything from their posture to their body structure to the angles on their faces, everything was the same, it was like Casmir duplicated himself and ended up with a female version, someone just as badass and good-looking as he was, and Sal couldn't lie.
This girl was beautiful.
She looked the same age as Casmir, not like someone that had lived for fifty years.
She had warm dark eyes that glistened with tears as she stared at Casmir, and dyed dark blue hair that bounced around in cunning curls and oceanic waves all over her face. She wore only a large red T-shirt and was on bare feet, her fair and unblemished skin exposed.
Sal felt his heart skip a beat.
"Hey Kat," said Casmir.
Katarina hugged herself, and Sal found himself thinking it looked.... cute.
"Cas? is it really you?" said Katarina.
Casmir nodded, his eyes shining but no tears falling, simply because they couldn't.
Katarina smiled and crashed into Casmir, Casmir wrapped his arms around her, natural brotherly love took over and Sal watched as Casmir buried his face in his sister's hair.
"I looked for you everywhere," said Katarina, "I looked in your house, I checked at the Blood Moons, I even paid a bunch of fucking mages to find you, I thought...I thought that I'd lost you"
"I'm right here Kat, I'm here"
Sal felt very awkward, like he was intruding.
Luckily the siblings separated and for the first time, Katarina took notice of Sal.
She looked at him, examining him from top to bottom, then she widened her eyes like she was truly seeing him for the first time.
"It's you," she said.
Sal looked at Casmir who didn't look like he would be of much help anytime soon.
"Um, my name is Salome Markson and I think I need your help," said Sal.
Katarina nodded, wiped a tear from her eyes and turned around to hide the rest.
"Come in," she said, her voice suddenly firm, as if she hadn't been crying.
They walked in, and as soon as they did Sal asked himself if he'd walked into a house or a horror movie.
The living room was dark, the candles in the chandelier above unlit, the fireplace not too far away without fire, what Sal could make out in the morning light were large white cloths draped over nearly everything. The place looked neglected and it smelled like dust and regrets.
"You were about to move?" asked Casmir.
Katarina smirked, another thing that made them both look alike, and began tearing away the white cloths from the furniture they concealed.
"I was but I don't have to anymore, thanks to Salome," said Katarina.
"Please, call me Sal"
Katarina nodded and sat down on a beautiful armchair that was probably worth more than Sal's tuition.
"Please, take a seat"
Sal and Casmir both sat on a sofa facing Katarina, she crossed her legs and studied Sal with curious eyes.
"A few days ago Lord Hermes told me you'd be coming, though he said your last name was Nightshade," said Katarina.
Sal didn't understand why the gods kept calling him that.
"He said you would need my help" Katarina said, and then she looked at Casmir, "And that you would return what I lost long ago"
Casmir looked away from his sister.
"He must have meant the sword then," He said
"Cas..." started Katarina.
"No Kat" said Casmir, he didn't sound angry now, his voice was calm and heavy with heartbreak, "there is a big difference between losing someone and letting them go, and you definitely didn't lose me"
"I'm sorry Cas, I truly am, I searched for you, day and night, I sacrificed everything to find you, I thought you died"
"Yeah I did die, at least something died that night, and it's been rotting for nearly fifty years"
Sal laid a hand on Casmir but he shrugged it off, he didn't know why that single gesture hurt so much.
"Look all we need from you is your help", said Casmir, "and once we're done, we are done"
Katarina tore her gaze away from Casmir and looked at Sal. It was intense, the way her eyes glistened dangerously with unshed tears, like she was keeping them from falling by sheer will.
"No," she said.
"What do you mean no?!" exclaimed Sal.
"Lord Hermes did not say it was an obligation for me to help you, therefore I won't," said Katarina.
"You have got to be kidding me," said Casmir.
"I will only do it under one condition, that my brother forgives me"
"Forgiveness isn't conditional, Katarina" said Casmir, he got up and began storming to the door.
Katarina looked at Sal, and he could see the last of her composure fade away, he heard her thoughts as loud as if she was speaking with her own voice.
Help me.
Sal got up with a speed he didn't know he possessed and reached the door before Casmir could.
"Sal let's leave" said Casmir.
"No," said Sal.
Casmir's eyes went red in an instant but Sal was tired of letting Casmir avoid his past, he needed to face it to move on.
"Look I get it, I know how it feels to be left alone, to be turned on by the people you thought loved you more than anything, but the cold hard truth, Casmir, is that you need to get past the betrayal, and the anger and sadness that comes with it, because if not you're going to keep pushing people away for the rest of your life."
Sal sighed and walked closer to Casmir.
"Casmir, not forgiving her is hurting her, but it's trapping you, and I know what it's like to be trapped, you do too" said Sal.
The red had gone completely from his eyes now. The silver in them held a thin wall of defense, his resolve for hatred nearly broken.
"She hurt me" Casmir said. "She's my sister and yet she caused me so much pain"
"Everyone has the tendency to hurt the people they love" Sal said, "but trust me once you find the right people, the right family, it will get better, I promise"
The red in Casmir's eyes dissipated, the anger in his shoulders melting away slowly.
Casmir creased his brows and searched Sal's eyes but Sal knew he had nothing to hide, he knew that he was being a hundred percent honest.
"Let me be your family Casmir"
Casmir blinked like someone that had been smacked in the face, then he sighed in defeat and turned to his sister.
"I will give you a chance," he said, his jaw set, his voice strained, "as long as you promise everything will be different this time"
Kat sighed and wiped a tear from her eyes.
"Okay," she said and then she moved from across the room and hugged Casmir again.
Casmir readily received her in his arms, holding her tight with his hands in her hair.
Kat raised her eyes and looked at Sal.
"Thank you" she mouthed.
Sal nodded and gave her a small smile.
Two down, three to go.